


Corner of the Universe

by towardstheair



Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), American Idol RPF, Kris Allen (Musician)
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-06
Updated: 2010-09-06
Packaged: 2017-10-21 08:42:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/223242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/towardstheair/pseuds/towardstheair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p> HS AU. I wrote it for the Summer Heat Wave challenge but I didn't get to finish it in time. Here it is anyways.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Corner of the Universe

Adam isn't an asshole, despite what people around this god forsaken place think and _say_ on a regular basis. Apparently keeping to yourself automatically makes you ignorant and uninterested in joining in with school spirit. Adam thinks school spirit can go fuck it's self. He outright refuses to smile and pretend to be happy in a place that if given the chance could break him. He keeps a distance, gets on with his school work and keeps his head down. He does it all with knowledge that he won't be here forever. It's the only thing that gets him through every day, that one thought that some day he can leave this town and finally be himself without feeling judged and scrutinised.

 

Most of the people at his school don't really bother him. He finds it easy to ignore or be at least civil to most of them. But there are a small group that make it impossible for Adam to ignore. It's mostly because they are    
_everywhere._   
Popular, pretty and    
_cruel._   
Adam is well aware the only reason he has managed to remain free of their bullying is because he towers over them all and if he needed to he could kick anyone of their asses. They probably have a large amount of bitterness toward Adam because to look at him he is the perfect person for bullying to be directed at. When he came back for senior year with his hair dyed black and black eye liner he could literally see them holding back the remarks. He kind of likes the fact that he is one person they don't dare start with.

 

But he has been noticing the way they have been acting to one kid. He is a freshman, blonde hair and extremely feminine. Adam's gaydar hasn't been to put much use, but he can see he is playing for his team just by looking at the guy. Adam didn't even consider that their actions towards the kid had anything to do with him, but yesterday as he was leaving school he saw James Parker, head of evil bastards, pushing the kid up against the lockers. Parker only turned briefly but he caught Adam's eyes, smirked and turned to kick the kid in the stomach, urged on by his pathetic little group of friends.

 

Adam refuses to feel bad for shutting the door and walking away, the kid will learn eventually how to be unseen and when it happens someone new will turn up and attract their attention. Bully's maybe mean, but they are distracted easy always looking for someone new and different to pick apart. So he doesn't feel bad until he gets into school, walking through the halls he can hear everyone talking about the same thing. Some guy called Paul getting beaten up in the halls last night. Adam listens in when he can, apparently Paul tried to put up a fight and he had been found in the halls by the janitor. From what everyone is saying no one knows who did it. Then Adam sees Paul walk past him in the hall, and he has a black eye and a cut on this lip and yeah... he starts to feel bad.

 

James Parker isn't the one who pisses Adam off the most. It's obvious what he is and what he will always be. The one person in Parker's little “gang” who Adam can't understand is Kris Allen. He is always    
_there,_   
following Parker and the others around but he never really seems involved, he looks detached from it, awkward somehow. He is the one who makes Adam angry the most, he looks like he doesn't want to be there, doesn't agree with them but he just stands by and does nothing.

 

Adam ends up running into Paul in the hall after last period, literally    
_running_   
into him. Paul is awkward, shy and apologetic. Adam is ready to brush it off and let him pass but the guilt is still there and he wouldn't be surprised if Parker was round a corner somewhere waiting to come out as soon as Adam is out of sight.

 

“You off home?”

 

Paul nods. “Yeah, I usually have band practice but it got cancelled...”

 

“Right. You want to walk together?”

 

Paul mostly looks surprised but he nods enthusiastically and they head towards the doors. They don't get far before Adam hears the footsteps behind them and then of course it's followed by Parker's grating, annoying voice.

 

“Paulie... you got yourself a _boyfriend_?”

 

Clearly Parker doesn't realise that it's Adam who is walking with Paul. Adam is okay with that he can't wait to see the look on Parker's face when he turns round. Adam makes Paul turn with him. On cue Parker steps back a little when Adam moves forward, he looks to his friends for support but they back off even more than he does. The only one who doesn't is Allen. More than anything rather than looking worried, he looks intrigued.

 

“Lambert... what are you doing with _Pauline.”_

 

“Me and _Paul_ are about to walk home.”

 

Parker scoffs. “I guess you _fags_ have to stick together.”

 

Adam doesn't usually rise to any of their bullshit, this is the first time in a long time that he has even had any contact with them. But something about Parker's voice and face make him rage and he finds himself lurching forward, ignoring Paul's tug on his arm. It's only when Kris steps him front of him that he stops in his tracks. Adam waits for Kris to look angry, ready to protect his friend but his face is soft and pleading. He mouths the words “don't” and there is so much desperation there that Adam can't fight against it.

 

He backs off, his eyes leaving Kris's face quickly. He glares in Parker's direction and backs away. “Stay away from the kid.”

 

“Or what?” Parker laughs.

 

“Maybe your little friend here won't be around to protect you next time, that's what.” Adam gestures toward Kris and then turns to leave, letting Paul walk in front of them.

 

When they are outside he realises that Paul is crying and Adam does not do well with people who cry. “You alright?”

 

Paul nods quickly. “Thank you. You didn't have to do that.”

 

“I know. But those guys are jerks.”

 

They are quiet while they leave the school grounds. Adam checks on him to make sure he is okay and if he has stopped crying.

 

“How did you... how do you do it everyday? Put up with them calling you... _that.”_

 

“What fag?”

 

Paul nods.

 

“I'm sure there will be more times in the future when I'll get called it again. And I don't put up with it. Mostly they leave me alone.”

 

“How do you manage that?”

 

“Be invisible.”

 

Paul stops and Adam is tempted to keep on walking, but he waits and turns to look at him. “I couldn't imagine you being invisible if you tried.”

 

“That's only because you noticed me. I don't belong to any clubs, I don't do any extra curricular activities. I do my work, get my grades and I come home.”

 

“But... what about friends?”

 

“I have friends. Just not here.”

 

“That's...”

 

Adam huffs. “Look, I'm going to give you this as advice okay? If you want to avoid what happened to you yesterday then you'll learn to do what I've had to. Blend in, go unnoticed...”

 

“Hide?” The innocence that Paul has kind of blurs away because he looks angry. “You think that's good advice? You're basically telling me to hide who I really am and not stand out. How is that a good thing?”

 

“Whatever.” Adam shrugs. “It's your face.”

 

“You are such a contradiction.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Look at you! The way you dress, the make-up, the hair! You have the appearance of being someone who wants to be seen but really you're just a scared little boy hiding underneath it all. You could have easily stood out and made connections here but you've just hidden yourself away.”

 

“Please don't act like you know anything about my life...”

 

“What life? School then home. That's all you have.”

 

Adam wants to protest but it's the truth and it's being yelled at him by a 14 year old. Paul is stomping away and Adam can't really blame him. He never really thought about it before because he never had anyone telling him that it was a bad choice. He speaks to his friends, Danielle and Jason on the phone nearly every night and he has been nothing but content with that. His family, even though slightly broken are amazing. He never thought there was anything he was missing by protecting himself and hiding away.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Adam hadn't even realised he was still standing on the street staring after Paul as he walked away. He certainly didn't expect to look down and find Kris Allen look up at him with a worried expression.

 

“I'm fine.” Adam turns at starts to walk away. He has already been yelled at by a 14 year old boy he doesn't want to deal with Allen as well.

 

“I'm sorry.” Kris shouts after him and Adam doesn't know why he is doing this to himself but he turns to face Kris.

 

“What are you apologising for?”

 

“Those guys... I wish they...”

 

“Why are you apologising for _them?_ They aren't sorry for what they did. For what they do every day.”

 

“I just...”

 

“You just what? They are your friends. You are one of them – if they saw you talking to me now you'd be at their side in a second.”

 

Kris shakes his head and puts his hands in his pockets. Adam hasn't really spent that much time looking closely at Kris, mostly because it would go against his supposedly perfect plan of hiding. But looking at Kris closely for the first time, he can see a vulnerability that he never expected to see. He has a sweet face and deep brown eyes. His lips are soft and if they curved up Adam thinks it would be a beautiful smile.

 

“They weren't always this bad. I've been friends with them since before high school, they made the football team and got popular and... I just stuck with them I guess... but... I don't agree with the things they do.”

 

Adam shakes his head. The small amount of affection he had for Kris fading away. “You're worse than they are. At least they own up to who they are. They are mean and cruel. But you hate who they are and you stand by and watch nice kids like Paul get beaten up for being different.”

 

Kris shakes his head. “I wasn't there when they did that... I never would have...”

 

“Why are you even telling me this? Do what you want. You don't need to explain yourself to me.”

 

“I know that... I guess... I wanted to tell you. I don't want you thinking that I'm like them...”

 

“Well, now you told me.”

 

Adam planned to dramatically walk away after that but Kris is shuffling forward and he looks like he wants to say something else. Adam needs to tone down his bitchiness even if this guys totally does deserve it. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Like you're trying to figure me out.”

 

Kris shrugs. “Maybe I am.”

 

Adam hates people trying to figure him out, especially cute boys who he can't figure out. Kris walks by him slowly and looks over his shoulder. “You want to walk with me?”

 

Adam doesn't say yes but he and Kris end up walking home together that night. And some how the next night too.

 

–

 

They fall into a pattern quickly. At first it's just coincidence. Adam is at his locker putting his books away when Kris walks by and stops at his side. He asks if he wants to walk home again with him, and Adam for some reason agrees. He learns that second time that once Kris starts nervously talking it's hard to shut him up and it's also kind of adorable. It's very pathetic that Kris is turning out to be the first real friend Adam has had at the school and the only time they spend together is walking home after school.

 

Adam learns a lot about Kris, his family, his friends – not the ass hat ones at school – he hates to admit it but Kris is nothing like Adam thought he was. He is funny and charming and he genuinely hates what his    
_  
friends    
_   
at school have been doing. It ends up being something they don't mention much. They don't mention it until they have to, that is. Adam is having his usual day at school, classes, boredom, classes, boredom... then lunch rolls around and he decides to go and sit in the library. Kris doesn't usually talk to him during the day, in fact he never does at all. So Adam is surprised when Kris approaches him at his locker. The first thing Adam notices is the black eye Kris is sporting.

 

“Kris, what the fuck?”

 

“I can't walk home with you anymore, Adam.”

 

Adam slams his locker shut. “Did Parker do this to you?”

 

“It's nothing to do with that okay? We're just different. We were kidding ourselves if we thought we could be friends. I'm in the popular crowd and I can't be seen...”

 

“With people like me, right? You don't want to be seen as a fag by association. I get it, Kris. Have a nice fucking life.”

 

“It's not like that... look... it's not just better for me okay? It's better for you. Parker did this to me cos he saw the two of us hanging out. What do you think he'll do to you?”

 

Adam laughs. “Parker knows better than to come anywhere near me. I could kill him for doing that to your face...”

 

“I can fight my own battles.”

 

“Yeah, it looks like it.”

 

This is then exact reason why Adam made a promise to himself to not make any friends in this damn place. He went against his better judgement for Kris and let him in anyway and he is going to end up getting screwed over. 

 

“I don't know what else to do...”

 

“I'm not going to tell you what to here, Kris. But if it was me I'd tell them to fuck and then I'd be friends with whoever the hell I want.”

 

“Except you don't have friends do you?”

 

“Yeah, I wonder why!”

 

“I have to go...”

 

Adam shoves past Kris and storms off towards the library. It's his own damn fault for getting too invested in the friendship. He shouldn't have spent the whole day looking forward to the time he spends with Kris. He most definitely should not have let the friendship start moving into crush territory. At least he knows now, he can get over it and be focused on getting out of this place. It was just a minor set back. 

 

He decides to ditch last period and stay in the library, working on his English essay. At least that way when he leaves the building everyone else will already be gone. He shouldn't have assumed that though, he should have predicted that Parker and his little group of idiots would be there waiting for him. And of course, so is Kris. Standing closely by his side.

 

Adam holds his head up and he plans on walking by them all and not even acknowledging them. But he should have listened to Kris's warning earlier because apparently, Parker had a different plan this time. Adam's feet buckle under him and he realises that one of them must have been walking behind him, waiting to trip him up and then push him down. Adam's face meets the hard floor but he lifts himself up quickly turning around, ready to face whatever is coming next, but he gets a fist in his face almost instantly, a knee in his stomach and then a kick to his back and he is on the floor again.

 

“Do it, Allen.”

 

Adam tries to orientate himself so he can see what's going on but his head feels fuzzy and his arms are being held down. Parker is smirking down at him and Kris is by his side, a baseball bat in his hand. The others aren't looking at Kris's face but Adam can see it there, the turmoil and pain, the battle going on inside his head.

 

“Come on, Allen. We saw you with the fag so if you want to prove there's nothing going on, then do it.”

 

Parker's voice is irritating and grinding on Adam. If he had enough strength to pull himself up he would be throwing fists at Parker's face. Even now, with Parker doing all this to him it's not for himself that he wants to retaliate. It's because he hurt Kris, he hurt Kris and then still has the audacity to call him a friend. He pushed and forced a baseball bat into Kris's hand, Kris the most sweet and unlikely person to attack anyone ever. Parker knows that too, he is just going to push and push and see how far he can go until he breaks someone, anyone. He doesn't care if it's Kris or Adam, or both. Adam's eyes find Kris's, there are tears shining in Kris's eyes.

 

The baseball bat drops from Kris's fingers and makes a loud sound on the floor. It's enough to distract Parker and the two idiots holding Adam down. He doesn't know how he manages but Adam is up on his feet and pulling Kris away from Parker. He can taste blood in his mouth and his eye feels like the size of a golf ball but there is no way he was walking out of here without giving Parker a few hits and a warning. He uses all the strength he has and flies his fist at Parker's face. It hurts like a bitch but it's so worth it when Adam sees him crumble to the floor.

 

“Stay the fuck away from me and stay the fuck away from, Kris. Do you understand me? You think I'm afraid of you? You think I give a shit if you beat the crap out of me every day? You're pathetic.”

 

He can feel Kris pulling him away and he is almost ready to go along with that, but when he sees Parker getting up from the floor, Adam kicks him fiercely between his legs and enjoys the crumbling mess he becomes.

 

–

 

When they get back to Adam's house, they are both grateful to find no one is home. Adam's mom is pretty cool about most things but he is sure fighting in school is not one of them. Kris searches Adam's kitchen cupboards and finds some painkillers, forcing Adam to take two before the go and hide up in Adam's room where Kris insists on cleaning his face.

 

“You didn't need to do that.”

 

“What... ouch...”

 

“Stand up for me... I mean, it was kind of... nice I guess.”

 

“You guess? I was bad ass.”

 

“Ass is the right word.”

 

Kris is silent as he cleans Adam's eye. When it gets to Adam's lips Kris is even slower, his eyes never leaving them. “Why didn't you just do it?”

 

“Don't talk.”

 

Adam grabs Kris's wrist. “Tell me.”

 

“I couldn't. In the two weeks we've been talking you've felt more like a friend than those jerks ever had. I couldn't do that to you. Not when I promised you I was nothing like them.”

 

“You are so much better than they are.”

 

Kris smiles. “You too.”

 

“I already knew that.”

 

Kris bites his bottom lip and throws away the dirty tissue in the trash. “I've been wanting to do something for a while now and I'm going to psych myself out if I don't just do it...”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Close your eyes.”

 

“Why?”

 

Kris huffs. “Just do it.”

 

Adam does and he hears Kris moving, what seems like pacing. Then the bed dips beside him and he feels Kris's hand on his face, turning it slightly. There is a warm breath against his lips, it tingles at the wound sending a shiver through his body.

 

“I've never done this before...” Kris whispers the words nervously, but when their lips meet Kris seems so far from nervous. His lips are wet and searching, sparks seem to fly behind Adam's eyes. It stings a little when their lips brush together a certain way but it is so worth it when Kris licks against it with his tongue. The groan that leaves Adam is impossible to stop.

 

Adam pulls away breathless and falling apart. Kris's eyes are still closed and his lips look red and pouty. “I think we should practice until we have that absolutely perfect.”

 

Adam nods. “That sounds like a plan.” 

 

He leans in, taking control of the kiss this time, setting the pace and letting his hands tighten in Kris's hair. He feels lucky that the first time he decided to make a friend in high school it turns out they would end up being so much more than that.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
